Sound-reproducing mechanism



Apri! s, 1924. 3,48%,494

E. u. IWWERKS SOUND REPRODUGING MECHANISM Filed June 5, 1922 INVENTORPatented Apr. 8, 392 4.

UNETE star s EER'I. u. rwwnnx's, o'rfxeu sss CITY, mssoum.

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1 Application filed June 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Plain U. Iwwnnns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,new and useful Improvements in Sound-Reproducing hlechanisni; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de soription of theinvention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it uppertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to sound reproducingmachines, and particularly toa machine in which the undulations in a phonographic record transmitvibrations to a sounding ele-' ment through the medium of a stylus, avibrator barconnected to a plurality of strings, and the said stringsconnected longitudinal- 1y to a resonator. a body about the size andshape of a cello, which, through the oombination above given, audiblydelivers sounds of great volume and clear and mellow tone, and achievesthiswith perfect instrumental balance, eliminating that peculiarlycharacteristic phonographic tone, anchiurthermore. reproducing soundswithout any extra adjustable device from both vertical and horizontalundulations on phonographic records with like accuracy.

The novel construction of the invention will be apparent by reference tothe follow ing description in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sound reproducing mechanismconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional View through the sound box, thestrings being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the. st rings and part,of the stylus bar, and means for connecting the stylus bar to thestrings.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of theadjusting nuts For thestrings.

Fig. 5 is a detail view ot'oncolthe bridges, part of the sound box andthe strings being shown in section, and

, Fig. (i is a View partly in elevation showing the anchor plateconnected to a. flexible finger at right angles to the vibrating barforming' a fulcrum for the vibrating bar, the bar being shown insection.

have invented certain 1922. Serial 1*:0. E i-35,946.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference:

1 designates cabmetcontaming suitable mechanism for rotating theturntable 2.

Upon the turntable may be located a disk 3 provided with the usual.grooves having undulations corresponding to the recorded vibrations ofthe particular selection transmitted thereto.

The sound reproducing mechanism is shown as consisting of a standard 4on which is a sleeve 5 adapted to be adjusted with respect to thestandard through the medium of a collar 6 and a setscrew 7. The sleeve 5carries an arm 8 having a lateral supporting member S, to which issecured by an articulated jointlO a sound box 11. The sound box is shownas conforming structurslly'to a stringed instrument body, for

example, a violin.

At the respective 6Ild5 '0f the body are posts 12 and 13, which may besecured to j the body in any suitable manner. The ends of the posts oranchor bars 12 and 13 project beyond the face of the sound box body andhave perforations to receive a plurality of strings, for example. suchas is designated by the reference numerals 4.15 and 16. Each of thestrings has one end fastened. to one of the posts 12 or 18 and the otherend provided with a. thread to receive an ad'usting nut whereby tensioncan be provide for the strings. In the illustration the Strings and 16are fastened to the post l3'and project through the post 12 so thattheir threaded ends may receive adjusting nuts 1? and 18. The string15is fastened to the post 12 and it projects through the post'13 and isprovided with an ad'justing nut 19 A section of one of the adjustingnuts, for example, 18, is shown in Fig. 2; as provided with ,a squarerecessed end 20 to receive the end of a clock key so that the nut can beturned on its string and thereby cause the end of the nut to bearagainst one of the Bill) numher of vibrations co.

spect to one another so that, eaehl 4 ports only one string and since hes are positioned on different iou parts of the sound box, it will be aparent that each string will be pitchcl difieicntly. The string? a;connected to a vibrating our 24, having a bifurcated end to arc-yids aslot 26 in which the strings may be received, the bifurcated portion ofthe vibrating haibeing fastened to the strinqs by connecting andspaeingscrews 27, 28 and '29 which maintain the strings in spaced relzmmand also assist in clamping the bifurcated portion of the vibrating bar24 to them. T he free end of the vibrating bar is rigidly iastoned to afinger 30 on a plate 3L ri idly connected to the sound box, the lingerpro viding for the torque of the vibrating bar 2% and allowing relativevibration thereof as it not only constitutes a support but also a slightfulcruiuing medium for the bar, i i it h the construction shown herein,the device is adapted for remu'ds having vertical or horirontalunduiations, Eat the lower end of the car may be secured a stylus 32 tobe received in the groovesof the 112.0 95.

(3n the cabinet 1 I may pro ide a sounc hos rest-1., which may he of anypreferred constructionadapted to receive the body of the violin-shapedsound box when it is titted on its fulcrum 10.to raise the si'iylusneedle off the record 3.

tunedhy the adjusting nuts l7, l8 and all the strings were of the sapitch, and s a the stylus Were vibrated in the umlulation oondings totie pitch vibrations of the string-:5, then there would be toneexceeding in volume the normal. -Honever, normalization maint eiucd byprovidi'hg; the strings of varying pitches, whereby all the viii ationsneutralized because ihe rihra har will never be in ahsolute Vibratorysynchronism with one string,- practice l. find this arrangement presidesa very clear tonal rcpro election of the selection transcribed on the"record.

connected to the sound ioox, the strings being of different pitches, anda stylus arm rigidly connectedto all of. the strings, the stylus nrrnhaving a bifurcated end clamped to the strings.

53. A sound reproducing mechanism comprising a sound box, a plurality ofstrings supported by and in spaced. relation with (he soi'ind box, aseparate bridge for each strir the bridges being in spaced longii .alalignment a stylus bar connected to r )l' the strings, and means foryieldingly conn cting the stylus bar other sound. box.

4. ii sound reproducing (leyice comprising a stylus for engaging:undulations of a l'fi"71 (l. a vibrating bar, to the lower end of whichthe stylus is secured, said vibrating har Peeing bifurcated at its upperend, a piuralitv of strings clamped in the bifurcated portion of the barand means for audihly repniducingthe vibrations of said strings, causedby engagement of the stylus with the undulations of a sound reproducingrecord.

5'. A soundreproducing; device comprising a stylus for engagingundulations of a sound i'c tumliuring record, a vibrating bar. to thelower end of which the stylus is secured, said vibrating har beinghi'lt'ureatedat its upper end. a plurality of strings securely clampedin the hiiurated portion of the bar, a sound hos, means for supportingthe strings. in sneer-d relation on the sound box and separate hriduesfor each string; said bridges, transmitting the sound by vibration tothe sound hoard of'the sound box when the stylus vibrated by theundulations of a sound reproducing record. in testimony whereof I ailixmy signature.

